Southernmost Weather Reporter National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Key West, FL Southernmost Weather Reporter National Weather Service · Key West, FL Welcome to the First 2020 Edition! M a r c h 2 0 2 0 Welcome to the first edition of theSouthernmost Weather Reporter of the 2020s! The Inside this Report: year 2020 is an anniversary year for both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS). The NOAA celebrates Welcome 1 its Golden Anniversary this year. Since its inception on October 3, 1970, NOAA has become one of the world’s premier science agencies that protects life and property, Hurricane Donna 2-3 leads stewardship of the ocean and Great Lakes, and drives the blue economy — a 60th Anniversary mission that spans from the surface of the sun to the floor of the ocean. Although NOAA Bahia Honda State was formally established 50 years ago, its roots originated a century earlier with the 3 Park Observations Survey of the Coast in 1807. NWS celebrates 150 years saving lives, protecting property, and enhancing the nation's economy! On February 9, 1870, President Ulysses Grant Dry Tortugas Site Visit 4 signed a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the Secretary of War to establish a weather service within the Army. This resolution required the Secretary of War "to 2019 Staff Changes 4 provide for taking meteorological observations at the military stations in the interior of the continent and at other points in the States and Territories and for giving notice on Meet the New Staff 5 the northern (Great) Lakes and on the seacoast by magnetic telegraph and marine signals, of the approach and force of storms." Skywarn Training 5 On November 1, 1870, at 7:35 a.m., the first systematized and synchronous Coastal Flooding 6 meteorological reports were taken by observer-sergeants at the 24 stations in the new Sugarloaf Marine 7 agency and the word “forecast” officially became established. These observations, which Science Night were transmitted by telegraph to the central office in Washington, D.C., commenced the 2019 Climate beginning of the new division of the Signal Corps. A Weather Observing Station in Key 7-8 West was among the original stations. Observations were taken at the Russell House on Summary the west side of Duval Street, between Front and Green Streets. Although the science, Hydrology Workshop 9 technology, and communications associated with weather observing, analysis, prediction, and warning are much different in 2020, an uninterrupted federal weather 2019 Diversity 9- service presence has existed in Key West, Program Activities 10 Florida since the birth of the agency in 1870! Enjoy this edition of theSouthernmost Join CoCoRaHS 10 Weather Reporter, and please stay safe and Fire Weather Support 11 “Weather-Ready” in 2020. on Big Pine Key January 2019 12 Sincerely, Havana, Cuba tornado Kennard “Chip” Kasper Meteorologist-in-Charge Florida Keys NWS 2020 Marks the 60th Anniversary of Hurricane Donna By: Sandy Delgado The year of 2020 marks the sixtieth anniversary of Hurricane Donna, one of the strongest systems to impact the Florida Keys in recorded history. For those unfamiliar with Hurricane Donna, you might be more familiar with the more recent Hurricane Irma back in 2017. The track of Hurricane Donna is shown to the left. The track of Donna was very similar to Irma. Hurricane Donna was a classic, long-lived Cabo Verde system. It developed in late August to the south of the Cabo Verde Islands from a strong tropical wave that left the African coast and strengthened into a tropical storm on August 31st and into a hurricane the next day. Late on September 2nd, Donna became a major hurricane as it Official Track of Hurricane Donna (1960) approached the Leeward Islands, making landfall in Barbuda on September 4th and in Saint Maarten on September 5th. While passing north of Hispaniola on September 6th, the forward speed of Donna decreased and the hurricane turned to the west, affecting the Turks and Caicos and the eastern Bahamas. Late on September 6th, Donna reached a peak intensity of 145 mph, making it a very powerful Category Four hurricane. On September 7th, a hurricane watch was issued for the Florida coast from Melbourne south to Key West. On September 8th, Donna made landfall in the central Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. At 11 am on September 8th, hurricane warnings were issued for the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West, including the Dry Tortugas. Donna made landfall at Conch Key in the Middle Keys in the early morning hours of September 10th with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph and wind gusts near 180 mph. The hurricane affected the entire Florida Keys, with the most significant damage occurring near the area of landfall. Tavernier reported sustained winds of 120 mph, the highest that the anemometer was capable of measuring, with the instrument measuring this speed for a full 45 minutes. Sombrero Key Light recorded wind gusts around 150 mph. Impressively, both stations were outside the radius of the strongest winds. About 75% of the structures from Marathon to Tavernier were extensively damaged. The storm surge reached a devastating 13 feet in Marathon! The storm surge covered the Overseas Highway and washed out several sections of the road. Boats and docks were also damaged or destroyed, and the storm surge pushed some boats over the islands in the Middle Keys. Donna also ravaged the northern section of the Tea Table Key bridge. The pipeline supplying the Keys with fresh water was broken in at least five places. After departing the The northern section of Tea Table Key Bridge Florida Keys, Donna made another landfall in southwest Florida and was destroyed during Hurricane Donna. moved across the state, exiting near Daytona Beach as it accelerated to the northeast. Donna later made landfalls in North Carolina and New England, leaving its mark across the entire Eastern Seaboard. The National Hurricane Center retired the name “Donna” because of the massive devastation it created. (Continued on Page 3) Southernmost Weather Reporter ~ National Weather Service Key West, FL ~ March 2020 2 60th Anniversary of Hurricane Donna (continued) Hurricane Donna still today remains one of the most intense hurricanes to hit Florida and the United States. It is the only recorded hurricane to have produced hurricane-force winds in every state along the U.S. East Coast from Florida to Maine. On a positive note, Donna is also remembered as a triumph in hurricane forecasting. Advancements in technology, such as radar and reconnaissance aircraft flights, and improved knowledge of what drives hurricane movement and intensification, allowed for more accurate tracking and intensity forecasts for Donna. Proper measures and WSR-57 radar image of Hurricane Donna over protective actions were taken by authorities and the public that saved lives. Sixty years the Florida Keys on later, we continue to use some of the same techniques to accomplish our mission to save Sept. 10, 1960 lives and properties, as was the case for Hurricane Irma in 2017 for the Florida Keys. Bahia Honda State Park Temperature Observations Return By: David Ross After a -2 year hiatus due to damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017, Bahia Honda State Park Rangers and volunteers are once again collecting temperature observations for the National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observer Program (COOP)! An idea from Park Manager Don Bergeron led to former Assistant Park Manager Meredith Kruse and Park Ranger Todd Jamison designing and building a lighthouse for the temperature sensor and display. This new structure is The new Bahia Honda temperature located near the Nature (From left to right): sensor is harbored in a lighthouse Center and allows for the Park Rangers Mark Tuschel, Todd Jamison, structure that is solar-powered. and Keely Kessler-Final equipment to be solar- powered. Daily reports from Bahia Honda and other locations throughout the Florida Keys are included in our Regional Temperature and Precipitation Summary (RTP) that is issued around 10:00 AM every day. The RTP product can be accessed here. Southernmost Weather Reporter ~ National Weather Service Key West, FL ~ March 2020 3 Staff Visits Observation Site at Dry Tortugas National Park By: Sandy Delgado Last November, NWS Key West Observation Program Leader (OPL) Dave Ross and myself visited the Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) weather station in the Dry Tortugas for routine maintenance. The most important item addressed was replacing the temperature display, as the numbers were illegible on the old screen. The salty environment is harsh to electronics. The temperature sensor was also cleaned to remove the accumulated dust. The wooden structure that houses the temperature sensor and display was repainted to give it a layer of protection against the elements. In addition, the rain gauge was replaced as the sun breaks down the plastic over time. Lastly, we recorded the distances from the rain gauge to the foliage and other structures that could affect the rain Dry Tortugas National Park collection. It was a very productive trip! Dry Tortugas is a beautiful place and it is certainly a treat to visit. The NWS COOP program is the nation's weather and climate observing network of, by, and for the people. More than 8,700 volunteers take observations on farms, in urban and suburban areas, National and State Parks, seashores, and mountaintops. Volunteer observers, like those at Bahia Honda, Curry Hammock, and John Pennekamp State Parks, Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park, the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative in Tavernier, and the Wagner Family on Duck Key, conscientiously contribute their time or host equipment for these vital observations. For more information on the NWS COOP program, visit https://www.weather.gov/coop/overview.